Have you ever picked up your EDC knife for the day and realized it was duller than a trip to the DMV? Sometimes you don’t have time to break out the full fixed angle fancy sharpening system and sit down for a laborious labor of love to get that perfect apex. Sometimes you just want to get your knife back to doing what it’s made to do; cut stuff. Well I have some great news for you! Not only can you serviceably sharpen a knife without specialized tools, you probably have some options for achieving a perfectly usable edge just lying around.
Your Cup of Coffee
No, not the disposable cup from your local mega-chain coffee shop. Your normal every day stained from years of use ceramic coffee cup can actually be used to sharpen. Now, you’re going to be turning the cup upside down, so I suggest one without coffee in it. The bottoms of most ceramic mugs have a ring of exposed medium-ish grit ceramic. This ring can be used very similarly to a sharpening stone or rod. Simply draw your knife’s edge across the exposed ceramic grit at the appropriate angle until you reach an acceptable apex. Make sure there aren’t any oversized pieces of grit in the area you use so as to not create any edge damage, and make sure to use light pressure and a consistent angle. You’ll have a very passable edge and will be ready to pour your favorite brew!
Your Drive to Work
Now, to be clear, I am NOT suggesting you sharpen your knife WHILE driving. That said, when you get in the car to warm it up in the morning you can use the top edge of your window to sharpen. Similarly to a coffee mug, most car windows have an exposed area of fine-ish grit along the top edge. In my experience the grit on this top edge of car windows is significantly finer than that on coffee mugs. So use the same method, but it might take a few more passes and you might be able to achieve a little bit finer edge. Just make sure you do it sitting inside the car, otherwise you might look a little too nefarious; waving your knife menacingly in the window of an empty car. This can be a great way to keep a sharp edge even when traveling!
Your Essential Raiment
If you just need a quick touch up to bring your edge from sharp to razor sharp and wear a leather belt you have a strop at your constant disposal. While it might not make a truly dull knife sharp, a leather strop can be a great way to keep your edge sharp. Even a leather belt can be used as a strop, though I generally recommend using the back / inside side of the belt to avoid any scratches showing. Also, the inside of the belt is sometimes a rougher finished leather, which can be more effective as a strop. To use the strop, find the correct angle for the edge and pull the blade in an edge trailing orientation across the belt with light pressure along the whole edge until the knife is back to your preferred sharpness. If you want to get really wild with it you can even put a very small dab of toothpaste on the leather and smear it around to an even and very thin coating on the area you’ll use as a strop. The toothpaste will provide a little bit of polishing action, not to mention a pleasant aroma.
Dull knives don’t have to be a constant frustration when you’re short on time or specialized tools. With a little ingenuity, you can sharpen your knives using everyday items you already have around the house. Whether it’s a ceramic coffee mug, the top edge of your car window, or even a leather belt, these household items can be employed to achieve a usable edge on your knife. Just remember to use light pressure, a consistent angle, and be aware that these methods should be used as backups when a dedicated sharpener isn’t available. With these simple tips, you can get your knife back to its cutting best in no time.
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I have always enjoyed flashlights, but over the last year or so I have really dived in and become an enthusiast. I remember stopping at the flashlight tables at the “Sports Show” (now the Great American Outdoor Show) with my dad when I was young and being awed at the array and power of the lights. While I’ve mostly always carried a flashlight and found them to be useful, only recently have I really taken the time to learn about them and what makes a good one. I’ve spent countless hours perusing r/Flashlight on Reddit and reading Budget Light Forums so you don’t have to. Below are four features I suggest when choosing a great every day carry flashlight.
Skilhunt M150; Mini Size, Many Features
1: Practical Emitter Setup
Flashlight enthusiasts place a massive emphasis on the emitter and optics used by their lights. I don’t think the average person looking for a practical user light has to worry about the minutia of bin and dedoming and other technical details (if you don’t know what those mean, good! You really don’t need to to get a great light). However, a good emitter setup can make a flashlight much more enjoyable to use.
Emitter & Optic Setups: Single Reflector, Single TIR, Quad TIR, Mule
There are a myriad of emitters, or LEDs, that are used in EDC flashlights. While there may be better options for specific use cases, you won’t go wrong with some of the widely recommended options. Namely; Nichia 519a (overall), Nichia 219b (tint), Samsung LH351D (flood), and Luminus SFT-40 (throw). Respective to the listed key characteristic, these are some of the best and most recommended LED emitter choices available in every day carry lights. I have used them all and think they all work great, just with different strengths. While there are other emitters that might beat those listed in one area or another, I think the above are great options to look for in your carry light.
As for the optic, the portion of the flashlight that directs the light from the emitter outward, I suggest a simple single emitter reflector. Flashlight enthusiasts love “hotrods” that have multiple emitters behind compact TIR optics, and these are definitely fun, but I don’t think the added brightness is worth the added heat and battery drain. For general daily use a single emitter, one of those listed above, will provide more than sufficient light. While a TIR optic with a single emitter does send out an extremely uniform beam, I find the hot spot and spill offered by a simple reflector optic to be more useful in more situations.
2: On Board Charging
On board charging, the ability to charge the light’s battery without a separate charger, is a near must have on an EDC flashlight. At first I was actually staunchly against on board charging. Most lights with on board charging have a silicone port cover, and I didn’t trust them to be water proof. However, I have now used lights with on board charging (with or without silicone ports) and have had no issues with water damage.
On Board Charging Saves Space
The fact is it is just supremely convenient to be able to plug your flashlight in and charge it without the hassle of added equipment. This is particularly true while traveling, when you might not want to or be able to bring a full charging setup and backup batteries. Most flashlights are now using USB-C, which is a common and familiar cord that’s used for many other electronics (soon iPhones also, I’ve read).
A couple other things to look for are standard batteries and interchangeable battery options. First, Some flashlights use proprietary batteries, which cannot be replaced with standard size batteries. While a proprietary battery isn’t a deal breaker in all cases, I think it is much better when a light can take a standard size battery (14500, 18650, and 21700 are some of the most commonly used and recommended sizes for EDC) in case you lose or wear out the battery your light came with originally. Second, some lights can take normal alkaline or NiMH batteries in addition to the commonly used Lithium Ion batteries mentioned about. Specifically, some flashlights that use 14500 lithium ion batteries can take AA and some 10440 battery lights (smaller than I recommend for EDC) can take AAA. This feature can be useful if you find yourself somewhere where you can’t recharge your light but have access to the more common alkaline options, like when traveling or camping.
3: Usable Clip
A clip can make or break any tool you carry every day, and the clip on your flashlight is no different. Unfortunately, a significant number of flashlights are sold with sub par clips that make them less convenient to carry.
Two good single direction clips on the outsides, and two acceptable two way clips on the inside
One common attribute that flashlights advertise as a feature is a two way clip. When done right a two way clip allows for the flashlight to be clipped bezel downward in your pocket and also bezel forward on the bill of a hat. However, this type of clip without a ramp in the bend at the bezel end can be very difficult to clip into your pocket intuitively. I also don’t wear baseball hats often, so I don’t find a two way clip to be useful but I understand many appreciate the feature. So, just make sure there is an up turned area that will catch the lip of your pocket and direct it under the clip if you buy a light with a two way clip.
Another common downfall of flashlight pocket clips is a general flimsyness. Try to avoid lights that use overly thin snap on clips, as these can often pull off or even snap.
Generally, a good every day carry flashlight clip is a simple and straightforward design that should look relatively similar to an EDC knife clip. While overly flimsy snap on flashlight clips are to be avoided, the truth is that the vast majority of lights use snap on or pressure fit clips unlike on knives where clips are almost always screwed on.
4: Straightforward User Interface
A good EDC light has a user interface that gives you the functionality you need without overcomplication. For most real daily use, there are only a few features I find to be commonly used: direct access to the lowest brightness, direct access to the highest brightness, a smooth or stepped ramp between low and high, and mode memory (the ability to turn on at the last used brightness). Many flashlights offer a strobe, but I don’t think strobe is a must have. Even if you need to use your light in a defensive situation I think direct access to the highest brightness would probably serve just as well as a dedicated strobe mode.
An enthusiast focused hot rod with Anduril 2 can be fun and make for a cool EDC pairing, but it definitely goes beyond pure function
Now, that’s not to say that the fancier user interfaces, namely Anduril (now on version 2), aren’t fun and interesting. I really enjoy the customizability of my Anduril lights, and you can certainly customize them to be simple as described above. That said, I think most people who buy a flashlight for EDC don’t want to have to program their light and wouldn’t gain much value from the added features.
Conclusion and Recommendation
Just like knives, flashlights can be a purely practical tool or an expression of one’s style. In this article I’ve endeavored to provide my recommendations for an every day carry light that leans toward the former, while still scratching that itch that we EDC enthusiasts have for coolness in our tools. My hope is that this article helps you to find the best light for you.
Wurkkos FC11; Budget Workhorse
That said, if you want a simple and direct recommendation, I would suggest the Wurkkos FC11 (Amazon Affiliate link). It is a great mix of all of the features I mentioned above in a budget friendly package from a well known brand. Whichever light you go with, don’t forget to go out and do good!
I sincerely thank you for your time, support, and interest! Don’t forget to tell your friends about KnifeThoughts.com, subscribe via email, and share this article on social media. You can find Knife Thoughts on YouTube where I have hundreds of knife videos, as well as on Instagram and Facebook! You can find all my latest links at LinkTr.ee/KnifeThoughts
In this article I will provide a full review of the WE Knives Banter, designed by Ben Petersen. Ben became well known in the knife community through his work for CRKT and BladeHQ. The Banter is his inaugural knife design.
Couple of Spear Points (Video on the GEC 81 Bull Moose and its Unique Tang Stamp Linked)
The Background
Before I get to the review in earnest, I want to talk about how I came to test this knife. I, like most who search YouTube for knife videos, had watched several of Ben Petersen’s (lots of interesting posts on his site, btw) videos in the past. From them I learned that Ben and my knife preferences are… not exactly in line . That said, I appreciated his honesty and willingness to say what he didn’t like about a knife in what amounted to advertising videos. I also was aware of his knife information poster, which you can find on his website, and that it seemed to be a hit in the knife community.
So when I was browsing the Reddit r/knifeclub subforum early this year and saw the above preview of his upcoming knife design, I gave my thoughts on the knife. You can find the thread below:
Not exactly glowing praise
As you can tell, my “visual review” wasn’t all praise. However, Ben offered to send the real thing for a full review. I think that’s a really commendable reaction to criticism. It shows a genuine desire for feedback and a confidence in his work that I appreciate.
Fast forward about 6 months and the start of a pandemic later, and a package showed up at my door that I knew had to have some good stuff inside!
Speaking of the package, Ben went all in on these early release “Ben Banter Gift Boxes” as he called them in an Instagram post. It contained a work mat based on his poster, a WIUP (“What IIIISSS Up Guys?!”) t shirt, the new version of his poster, some stickers, a nice handwritten note, and of course the knife (oh, and a bunch of lifesavers). It also had a nice specs sheet and write up on how excited Ben is to bring his design to the market with WE Knives.
Lots of good stuff in there! (Unboxing video linked to the picture)
The Review
So, let’s get to the review! I’m going to base my review off of my initial visual review, with reference to Ben’s knife preferences (based on my YouTube research).
A little hard use. Can you really review a knife with honesty if you haven’t used it to eat a rotisserie chicken on the hood of your car? No, you can’t.
Ben did a great job bringing all his knife preferences together into a real product. One thing he talks about in some videos is how much he likes to be able to reach his finger to the end of the blade for fine cutting, and with its 2.875″ blade the Banter definitely passes that test. He also often mentions liking pocket clips in general but especially deep carry clips, and the Banter’s clip actually allows the entire knife to set below the lip of the pocket with no handle showing. It would be easy to mistake for a pen or flashlight, unless you’re a knife enthusiast and see the “BANTER” etch. Going along with the ease of carry theme, he also mentions appreciating a light knife and g10 handles. The Banter comes in at 2.86oz / 81g, with the help of nested minimalist liners in the light but strong (black or blue) g10 handles. Lastly, and almost inversely with the preference to be able to reach the tip of the knife with an index finger, Ben has sometimes tested a knifes ability to slice an apple fully and cleanly. Despite its short length, the thin .1″ blade stock makes for good cutting performance and I had no trouble slicing apples into pieces. All that together makes for a knife clearly designed to be Ben’s ideal EDC.
Slicing an Apple for Lunch at Work
So, how does it fare under my usage and preferences after about a week of carry and use?
Fits my wide hands surprisingly well.
Firstly, I like the looks much better than you might expect from my initial visual review. As I mentioned suspecting in the review, it does look different in some pictures than others and certainly in person. The handle and blade are not as squat as I had felt they looked initially, and in fact work well together aesthetically. The straight back isn’t an issue in person, and the blade doesn’t look to have an upward cant. I do like the look of the knife; it comes off minimalist and utilitarian in person in a positive way that I don’t think pictures convey. That said, a few people whom I’ve shown this knife have said it looked blocky. I still think the hard chamfering along the edges gives it an industrial look that differs from a lot of other knives, especially traditionals like those I often review. I appreciate the addition of the blue anodizing on the titanium thumb stud, and the “WE” logo on the pivot, that give it a little flair. I added a blue lanyard, which I think really emphasizes the blue of the thumb stud.
See how much less chunky it looks here than in the promo picture? Weird, right?
Second, as for its effectiveness as a utilitarian knife, I think it cuts the mustard. I did house projects, fished, cooked, cut cardboard, and general every day carry uses and never felt like the WE Banter was wanting in cutting ability. It is easy to open, even with gloves, with the thumb studs, well tuned detent, and caged ball bearing pivot. It is actually a lot of fun to open and close, as it’s extremely smooth and snappy. The thumb stud sits pretty close to the handle but I haven’t had any issues opening it with an upward movement of the thumb, or even on the other side with the middle finger. It drops closed, hitting the thumb nail, then can be closed the rest of the way by pushing on the tang of the blade with the index finger. It locks up solid with the liner lock, and I’ve felt no blade play (even side to side when unlocked). The blade does seem to be ground thinly for a modern style knife, so it slices well, but the saber grind makes for a sturdy tip. I used it to carve some wood for a house project and a little whittling, with no fear of breaking the tip. In use, I found the handle to be pretty comfortable. As I mentioned in the visual review, the cutoff at the end of the handle is a huge boon to the ergonomics because without it my pinky finger would sit directly on a hotspot. As designed, even in my wide hands it was easy to hold and grip in use, and the large guard at the front of the handle provided a solid anchoring point. While I do appreciate a good deep carry clip, the addition of a lanyard made it a bit easier to retrieve from the pocket without having to reach down amongst my phone and keys and such. I sharpened the knife a couple times (’cause I stupidly kept hitting the edge on hard stuff like aluminum and rocks) and, in my 0% scientific opinion, it does seem to be heat treated to a high hardness as advertised (59-61 s35vn). Speaking of the edge, in person the blade shape is more classic and fluid with less of a straight line from the belly to the tip than the picture seemed to show. I found it to be a very versatile blade shape, which shouldn’t be a surprise being that spear points are among the most common and oldest blade shapes. In fact, I think the WE Banter might be helping to open my eyes to the possibility that I don’t really need as much knife as I generally prefer.
Just a little whittling after losing my fishing line.
The Conclusion
Overall, I think this is a great first design from Ben Petersen. As Ben isn’t a knife enthusiast in the same way some of his viewers and customers are, the WE Banter presents a fresh take on an EDC knife design. It is minimalist, but with some touches of flair. It is simple, but effective in its design. For those who prefer, or are prescribed by law, a blade less than 3″ the WE Banter will be a good value considering the solid construction, high quality materials, and unique background at the price of ~$109. For me, and those who prefer a larger knife, I would love to see an XL version. Keep the same blade and handle width/height of ~1″ and the same design, but stretch the handle and blade another ~1″ or so. That would make for a knife that could compete with perennial favorites like the Spyderco Endura 4, Benchmade Griptilian, and Ontario Rat 1. It would also make for a duo of small and large Banters, like the Spyderco Delica 4, Benchmade Mini Griptilian, and Ontario Rat 2 respectively. I hope the WE Banter is a huge success, and that it facilitates the WE Repartee (Get it? longer version of Banter!). You can get the Ben Petersen designed WE Banter at BladeHQ starting tomorrow 6/23/20, at this link.
In all its glory.
I sincerely thank you for your time, support, and interest! Don’t forget to tell your friends about KnifeThoughts.com, subscribe via email, and share this article on social media. You can find Knife Thoughts on YouTube where I have hundreds of knife videos, as well as on Instagram and Facebook! You can find all my latest links at LinkTr.ee/KnifeThoughts
Yesterday I posted the above picture on my social media (make sure to follow me!), and promised a fuller description of all the items. I know this is a lot to carry, but I don’t find that it weighs me down or is too difficult. Of course, I don’t absolutely need all this stuff but much of it does come in handy on a daily basis. More importantly, like many who appreciate every day carry gear, I also just plain enjoy having high quality tools on my person!
Knives
I typically carry, aside from my keychain, a modern folding knife and a traditional folding knife. I don’t always carry a fixed blade, mostly because I often don’t find them as comfortable as folding knives. Also, let’s be honest, I probably have enough knife on me without a fixed blade. However, I’m carrying the Spyderco Reverse. It’s an interesting fixed blade designed by two different well respected self defense instructors, Craig Douglas and Michael Janich, with the ability to switch the handle scales to match each instructors respective tactic style. Craig Douglas, aka “Southnarc” of ShivWorks, is the instructor of Shawn Lupka who teaches his AntiFragile self defense class at Stout PGH where I work. Aside from it being a unique and effectively designed fixed blade, it is extremely easy to carry with the incredible DarkStar Gear sheath. Tom of DarkStar Gear also trains at Stout PGH, and was kind enough to make this sheath with a Team Renzo Gracie pattern. This sheath takes the knife to a whole ‘nother level, and proves why the carry system is an integral part of a fixed blade. Make sure to check out DarkStar for their sheaths and their specialty, kydex IWB holsters.
My modern folding knife for today is the Spyderco Watu. This is a new knife from Spyderco for 2020, but it’s based on the well loved but discontinued Chokwe. Both the Watu and its older brother, the Chokwe, are part of Spyderco’s Ethnic Series. The Ethnic Series is a line of knives based on traditional fixed blades from around the world. The Watu is based on a traditional African fixed blade design of the Chokwe people. It might look like a strange design, with its triangle shaped blade and almost coffin shaped handle with two holes passing through, but I’ve found it to be extremely utilitarian. The Watu has several upgrades over the Chokwe with carbon fiber overlay g10 handles, a compression lock, the wire clip, and CPM20CV steel. It is also smaller than the Chokwe. Many will find the smaller size welcome, as it is closer to what many consider an ideal EDC knife, but I slightly prefer the larger size of the Chokwe. I am really enjoying the Watu, and you can find my full review below.
My traditional knife for today is the Great Eastern Cutlery made Waynorth Cutlery Real Lambfoot. Charlie Campagna has had many Special Factory Orders made by GEC, including his wildly popular TC Barlows, and was able to convince Bill to manufacture what is likely the first American made Lambfoot knife. This version has smooth white bone covers. Only 27 of this white smooth bone covered version were made, and they were sold by Charlie (aka Waynorth) himself at the 2019 GEC Rendezvous. I have found it to be a great garden knife, for picking produce and peeling apples and such, with the straight edge and a very capable cardboard cutting knife with the thin flat grind. I also added a slight easy open notch to help access the nail nick, as it sits quite low. Overall, this knife is a piece of GEC history and also a great user!
A few Charlie Campagna aka Waynorth SFOs: #98 Texas Camp Knife, #93 Real Lambfoot, #15 TC Barlow
Keychain
Most all of us carry some kind of keychain every day, and I take that as an opportunity to add a couple smaller pieces to my every day carry. The keychain clip system itself is from Nite Ize, but I’m not sure of its name. It is a carabiner style clip that has a slot for a bunch of mini s shaped carabiners, on which I carry my keys and gear.
I always have a Spyderco Ladybug with stainless handles, engraved with my wife’s and my name and our wedding date. Previously I had one with our one year anniversary engraved, but it was stolen (or lost) along with my bag at a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu tournament. It’s both imbued with high sentimental value and a practical little knife. It’s shockingly easy to open and close one handed, and locks up as solid as a full sized knife.
I try to carry a pocket flashlight, but almost always go back to keychain carry. I have tried different lights, but I have carried the FourSevens Preon the most. It’s a nice small single aaa battery light that puts out a solid amount of lumens for its small footprint.
I also carry a small multitool on my keychain off and on. I think the Leatherman Squirt is as small as a plier based multitool can get while still being useful. It offers scissors, a screwdriver, a bottle opener, a small blade, and of course pliers. I wish the bottle opener was a little easier to use, and I wish it had a can opener. Still, it’s pretty nice to have a pair of pliers when you need one. To be honest, I had stopped carrying it on my keys for a while but went fishing over the weekend and needed some pliers. I have been thinking about trying a full sized Leatherman for pocket or bag carry and a one piece multitool for keychain carry.
Notebook and Pen
I have a whole system of notebooks for journaling, tracking workouts and nutrition, and logging work on Knife Thoughts and our garden. I often also carry a pocket notebook, and have tried several brand. I have liked Field Notes, Log + Jotter, Moleskine, but my favorite is Rite in the Rain. I recently decided to try Portage notebooks, a long time made in USA brand. They’re cheaper than some that I mentioned, but seem to be made well enough to hold up to pocket carry.
I have never really gotten into high end pens. I like using fountain pens, and I enjoy the fidget factor of bolt action pens, but I pretty much go for whatever is in reach. That said, I like these Zebra F301 pens because they’re thin, have a sturdy clip, and write well even in a fine point.
Wallet
I am currently using a no name wallet from a discount site. I have used several different wallets, from the classic leather bifold and trifolds to a brass Machine Era slim wallet to just rubber bands. I initially bought this wallet intending to carry a mini edc in it along with my cards, cash, ID, etc., but for now I have left that idea behind. For the low price of about $5, I’m pretty happy with it. I threw one of the Knife Thoughts stickers and Stout PGH VIP / Intro cards, a few each of which I always carry, on top of the ID window.
Handkerchief
Last, but not least, is my handkerchief. This handkerchief was given to me by a friend. It is pretty large as pocket handkerchiefs go but nice and thin so that it isn’t too bulky. I most often carry handkerchiefs hand made by my wife, which you’ll see in many of my social media posts. They’re really great most of all because they’re made with love, but also because they are really cool patterns and made to perfectly fit in a pocket. Handkerchiefs have become more popular recently, but for a long time I thought they were undervalued in the EDC community. I consider them to be extremely useful, and they take up very little space.
I sincerely thank you for your time, support, and interest! Don’t forget to tell your friends about KnifeThoughts.com, subscribe via email, and share this article on social media. You can find Knife Thoughts on YouTube where I have hundreds of knife videos, as well as on Instagram and Facebook! You can find all my latest links at LinkTr.ee/KnifeThoughts
